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How does Packet compare to IBM Softlayer

SoftLayer, now part of IBM, built one of the first automated IT platforms in 2005. Since then, the company has expanded to offer a large array of shared and dedicated hosting solutions, platform services and now, with the direction of IBM, more enterprise cloud services.

What We Have in Common
As a start, both companies were founded on the concept of automating dedicated servers. SoftLayer's innovations a decade ago paved the way for widespread adoption of dedicated servers, especially in enterprise markets. Packet was founded with a similar vision, albeit in a much different technical and business landscape - where success is measured in minutes and not hours or days.

How We Differ
Packet's aspirations are much more focused -- instead of offering every IT and server configuration known to (wo)man, Packet believes in prioritizing availability and consistency over customization. Packet bare metal is delivered in <5 minutes, on-demand and powered by rich cloud-config formatted user data for elegant automation. We elevate simplicity in pricing and in our API to provide powerful compute building blocks to modern, cloud-aware developers.

Instead of a complicated order form that feels like an IT manager's dream circa 2005, Packet favors a simplified workflow that can be accomplished via web, mobile, API, or orchestration technology.